IRS Tax Tracker: How long does it take for IRS to approve refund?

Tax season remains in full swing in the United States, but for anyone who might be expecting a tax refund this year, you might be wondering when the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) give the green light for you to receive this money.

Once you have filed a complete paper tax return that contains no errors, you can expect your refund to be issued by the IRS roughly six to eight weeks from the date that they receive your return.

For anyone who filed their tax return electronically, however, you can expect your refund to be issued in less than three weeks. If you chose direct deposit, this can be even faster.

When will IRS release tax refunds?

Well, this is dependent on the above information. You will then be able to either have your refund check sent to you in the mail or you may opt to have it deposited straight into your bank account.

Typically, people prefer to have it go straight into their bank account via direct deposit as this is deemed to be a safer option; by sending it in the mail, there is always the possibility that it gets lost along the way.

What's more, if you want to receive your tax return sooner rather than later, it takes the US Treasury less time to send it via direct deposit.

If you submit a paper return, you can fill in the direct deposit information on your tax form in the 'Refund' section. Also, direct deposit is on offer if you e-file your return.

What if I still haven't received my tax return?

Anyone who is expecting a tax return and filed your return at least four weeks ago, you can check the status of it by calling the IRS TeleTax System on 1-800-829-4477.

Once you are through to someone, you will have to provide the first Social Security number on your return, as well as your filing status and the amount you are expecting to receive as the refund.

Should your return have been processed by the IRS, however, the system will inform you about the date your refund will be sent.